Connor History
Back to Connor MacLoren Stats Character History: Each paragraph is a little snippet that will maybe someday get tied all together. I was born on the Irroquin merchant marine ship Valiant. The ship was in route from Gherin Culloch to Karandia, carrying mostly immigrants. In those days Gherin Culloch was importing a lot more than it could export, so, the trading ships were taking on passengers to help pay the way. My father and mother (nearly to term with me) were among the fifty or so passengers on that voyage. Just half-a-day outside (Karandia Port City), I was born. The captain of the ship produced some papers showing that I had been born in Karandian water, and, with a little squeeze my father was able to get the certificate accepted in town. I was officially a Karandian citizen. I enlisted in the army. For two years I was trained as, and deployed as a shield man with a pike squadron. The basic training was a challenging time, but was the perfect distraction to my prior life. Being responsible for my shield, and my partner, it was a good time. We saw no combat, though, we were posted on the Chalter Medrium border for about six months. It was there that I first saw a Talon team in action. I first wanted to sign up as Red Talon. Those were the guys that had all the best assignments, learned all the powerful arcane magik out of the ancient Libraries, and got all the women. The captain that Cyrus screwed was really, really mad, and, he took it out on Cyrus’ team. I was quickly reassigned to one of the Green Talon squads that regularly probe into Icara. For about three straight years, every time my unit was scheduled to rotate home from the front lines, I would be transferred to the incoming unit. So, for about thirty straight months I made weekly reconnaissance trips into Icara. The only benefit to come from this unbelievable schedule is that I was sent to Green Talon command school, where they taught me some fun new spells, and, gave me a bunch of training on how best to use the skills of the other troops. After a few days of sitting under a bush and counting Icaran troops, the smallest things start to get your attention. I realized this time that I had set up right next to the den of some raccoons. Throughout the night I would see them moving around the woods near me, foraging. The attention to detail that they showed was pretty amazing. At night, before I slept, I would usually set up a ward barrier around my location. (Like all Green Talon working solo in the field, a bookworm had enchanted my tags with the barrier spell so I could sleep at night. That way, I would have at least a few moments warning before problems could get to me. Anyhow, I had just started laying out the components for the ward, when I noticed two of the younger male raccoons watching me. They and I had sort of developed a ‘you do your thing, I’ll do mine’ relationship over the few days I had been there. I guess they were as interested in me as I was in them. So, there I am, in my ward, getting ready to eat a little of my rations, when one of the two comes over, right to the edge of the ward. This got my attention because he seemed to know where the edge was; he didn’t even bump his nose. As I sat there, not moving, he got up on his hind legs, put his front paws on the ward, and, pushed. He seemed to only shove a little bit, not really exerting himself greatly, and, just sort of popped through my ward! I was surprised, but at the same time I was impressed. I gave him a little of my dried fruit, just so he didn’t feel like he had wasted his time. And, after he was done eating, he went and pushed his way back out again. Over the next few days, this became the dinnertime pattern. It wasn’t until the fourth day that he would let me touch him while he was eating. That night I risked starting a flame, and, with its help I was able to ‘talk’ with my supper companion. Through his eyes I was able to understand how he got through the ward, and, that it was a skill he shared with his kind. A week later, when I was finally back at the rallying point, I sat down and worked it out. I found that I too could tap into the upper layer, using the ambient energy to help pass through wards. Now, every time I pull this off, I think back to my hungry little friend there in the northern woods of Icara. In the middle of summer 501, I ran into Cyrus and Horace, inside Icara! I was frankly amazed that they were there. Even more strange, they were papered to be there! They had legal documents, and were working on some project for the new Concentric Order. I told Cyrus what had been done to me, and, when he got back to Karandia he had some strings pulled, and I was finally reassigned to the Concentric Order, under the command of Cyrus. I was in Karandia when the earthquakes started. Cyrus and his team were kept in the country to help with disaster relief. We also privately suspected that the Griffin wanted his trusted troops nearby, in case anything else happened. When the big one struck, I was dispatched to the coast, as leader of a green talon team. Their sergeant was killed in the quake, and, I was given temporary command. We were told to survey the destruction on the coast, and, report back. When we got to the shoreline, there was a massive amount of destruction. A wave taller than the tallest trees must have rolled onshore. Whole towns were wiped off the map. In Verath Tau, which appeared hardest hit, we went in for a closer look. What we found was startling, and led me to leave the team in place and return with the information. Below the now decimated fishing village, mostly buried in the mud, was a structure of unknown age. We were able to stand on the roof of this ancient stone building. In this flat panel of stone was a sealed opening, and, much rune work. I drew some brief sketches, and returned to report. Back at the base I filled in Cyrus, and a bookworm named Stewart what I had seen. Cyrus assigned me to accompany Stewart to Halgudar, to a library where more information could be gained. Cyrus sent me because he has no Rocks on his team, and none would be reassigned. I would have preferred to stay in country, but oh well. While at this library, I was given a vision. The spirits of the woods between Karandia and Halgudar found me, and, showed me what was occurring on the shores of Karandia. I saw the door on the buried building opening, almost like a crypt, I saw the Talon squad I left behind dying, and, I saw a single black bird rise from the land and fly out to sea. I relayed this vision immediately to Stewart. He believes that the thing he is studying is somehow a part of this vision, and the earthquakes. When we got back to Karandia, they assigned me to work on the monsters that had moved into the area damaged by the wave. For almost three months I was running around the western mountains, killing or taming as many orcs and goblins as I could find. The recall order came through a really young private who they sent out to find and replace me. Things must be tough; he looked like he still had Mage Sergeants ringing in his ears. Anyhow, they brought me into Traau, and assigned me to work with Stewart, Horace, a new Scar Private named Ruby. They sent us back out to the town that I checked out with the Green Talon team right after the quake and wave. When we got there we found some of the bodies of that team, and, we were met by a half-elf Captain wearing a Black Talon uniform. (We never did find out who exactly he was…) Anyhow, he brought something important and very Yellow for Stewart, and, promoted the housie to Sergeant. Works for me, puts me that further from having to keep track of what’s going on. Anyhow, the town had been taken by some form of magik, and all the townspeople were under its spell. There were also some creatures running around that had amphibian-like qualities. They looked aquatic, but moved on two legs as if they were accustomed to being on land. They attacked with powerful claws on two seemingly ambidextrous arms. Some seemed capable of innate magikal abilities, but, that is just a guess on my part. The Sarge found some sort of gateway that the squid-heads (so named by Horace) were using to get here from wherever home was. We closed it, after fighting a bunch of the critters, and what seemed to be some undead Green Talons, which, I have to tell you were pretty freaky. Give me a scavenging horde of orcs any day… After clearing out the village, Stewart, Ruby and the Captain headed back to Traau with something important, and, Horace and I split off to check on his family in the next canyon over. No sooner were we over the pass we were taken by some more possessed villagers. To this day I could not tell you how they managed it. There, waiting to be executed, this guy who said he knows us showed up, and rescued our butts. I suspect he did some nasty things to the villagers, despite our request that none be hurt, as they were not acting of their own will. Ardan was his name. I don’t trust him, even though he helped us out. After that escape, Horace and I returned to Traau, and were essentially assigned to the barracks for a couple months. We knew the two Sergeants were around, having meetings and planning sessions. We received some basic training about ships from this real cute Naval boson named Christie, and, next thing we know, we are assigned to this task force that was sailing west, trying to see what the heck was out there. We arrived on this island, just me, Horace, and this real green Turtle named Naan. We were supposed to be meeting Cyrus and some elven scouts, and a Veldron there, but, they were nowhere to be found. More of the squid-heads attacked us, but Tasha turned up with the elves, and pulled us out of the fire. She was happy to see me and Horace; she thought we were dead. Not sure why, but, there you have it. She keeps forgetting I’m too stubborn to die. Well, I finally got the help I needed from the trees, and was able to talk to one of the squid-heads. They agreed not to attack us, and we agreed to get what we needed and get the hell out of there. Turns out a Sequestrum toadie beat us to this big magik book. The Sgt sent me after him, and the two elf scouts and the Veldron came with. We got to the coast just in time to see his ship raise sail. I might have caught him on my own, but, what would I have done with him? Oh well, seems like we just can’t catch a break on this whole mess. Always just outside our reach. Back in Karandia, Cyrus got reassigned, trees only know where. Stewart took command of myself, Naan, and Horace and we headed back down to Halgudar, to pick through the rubble of the Library that burnt down. We were still walking around with the elves, so, that was annoying. They get so accustomed to being sneaky in the woods that they stop paying attention. Anyhow, that’s another story. Down there we ran into a couple of Rynith, and this magikal construct everyone was calling the Devourer. I never saw her eat anything, so, who knows. Anyhow, turns out this thing is Ardan’s wife, transformed to protect something or another. Well, he shows up and fixes her, then takes off with one of the magik stones. Stewart was annoyed. The court mage also made off with one, but not without a fight. He tried to split, but me and Stewie chased him down. It felt nice to catch up with him, but, honestly, it was like wrestling a really pissed-off lion. He had more magik than I think the Dustie had ever seen. I still wonder why he didn’t just kill us. Instead he left us lying there in the road. Horace found us a little later and put us back together. Obviously, something of significant import is occurring, but, I am content to let the Griffin and the Dusties deal with it. I will continue to go where I am ordered to go, and do what I am trained to do. Next up, the desert of Sh’Thraem… (Again, way out of date. Any of the squad want to help me remember what else happened? Just throw in some bullet points below, I will work on the tale.)